Edon Rizvanolli, born in Prishtina (Kosova), started his acting career in 1992 in Salzburg (Austria). At first with an amateur theatre group, followed with performances in professional theater houses. After over 250 stage appearances, he left for NYC and was admitted at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where he studied acting for the next two years. In 1998, upon his return to Vienna, he directed his first short film “Blownaway”. During this period Edon wrote two screenplays; Kosov@ mon amour (Documentary) and Hairdressers (Feature), which were subsidized by the Austrian Film Commission. Concurrently he was employed as an actor at the “Toxic Dreams” theatre group and worked as a program maker and presenter for the Austrian Broadcast Corporation (ORF).

In 1999 Edon returned to Prishtina, where he worked for different production companies as a director, writer and editor, in projects ranging from music videos to feature films.

Since 2007 he lives in Amsterdam where he works as an actor, director, screenwriter and editor. “Unwanted” which he wrote, directed and produced in 2017 is his feature debut. It had it’s world premiere in Karlovy Vary and was Kosovo’s 2018 Oscar nominee. Edon is a member of the European Film Academy.

Kosova’s Oscar 2018 nomination for best foreign language film and has screened at various festivals such as International Film Festival of India -Goa, Cairo International Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, Mannheim Heidelberg International Film Festival, Netia OFF Camera International Film Festival etc.